Separate Lives
by Psamathe
Summary: As one relationship ends, another begins. Gene/Alex
1. Chapter 1

It was early Friday morning when Alex Drake was rudely awakened by loud knocking on the door of her flat. One glance at her alarm clock was enough to let her know that she was running late. Even so, in a childish act of defiance, Alex buried her head under the pillow in the futile hope that her early morning visitor would go away.

"Gene! Gene Hunt! Open this bloody door before I break it down you lardy bastard!"

The woman's shrill Mancunian accent cut painfully through Alex's impending hangover. As vague as the details from the previous night were, she was fairly certain that she'd gone to bed alone and had stayed that way. Unless he'd broken in during the night, Gene Hunt certainly wasn't in her flat and whoever was at the door needing apprising of that fact. Rolling from her warm blankets, Alex staggered to the door and hauled it open.

"What?" she demanded.

Her visitor was blonde, plump and pretty… just the kind of woman Alex expected Gene Hunt to find attractive.

"Where is he, then?" the woman demanded, forcing her way into the flat. She paused in the kitchen, her eyes raking Alex up and down as if she didn't like what she was seeing. It was then that Alex remembered she was using a man's shirt as nightwear and there was an awful lot of leg on display.

"You don't look his type," the woman said.

"What?" Alex repeated.

Her sleep fuddled brain was having trouble following this conversation.

"I'm guessing you're his latest but he usually likes 'em young and stupid."

"I'm sorry but who are you?"

The blonde woman didn't seem surprised by the question. She offered Alex a condescending smile,

"Sorry love, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Gene's wife."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sylvia Hunt was definitely not the woman Alex expected her to be. Once it had been explained that Gene didn't live in a flat above Luigi's Trattoria and that Alex wasn't shagging him, she apologised profusely.

"This is the last address I had for him," she explained, whilst Alex made them both tea. "I'm down in London for the weekend and I wanted to take care of some unfinished business."

She pulled a large brown envelope out of her handbag.

"I couldn't exactly walk into the station with them, could I? He might be a bastard but he don't deserve that."

"Divorce papers?" Alex questioned, "I didn't realise that he was still married."

"Not for much longer if I can just track the buggar down."

There was an awkward pause which Alex tried to fill by searching through her cupboards for biscuits. Something about Sylvia's tone of voice suggested that she was putting on a brave face about the end of her marriage, a notion that was reinforced when Alex put the packet of Garibaldis on a plate. Sylvia stared at the biscuits but didn't take one. It hadn't been a vindictive move on Alex's part. She was convinced that any woman who had lived with Gene Hunt deserved a measure of her respect.

"Come round here a lot does he?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't think…" Alex started to mumble.

The harsh edge had returned to Sylvia's voice and Alex had no idea how she could redeem herself. Luckily, she didn't have to. Before she could speak again there came a loud knock quickly followed by his voice,

"Bolly, you lazy tart, open this sodding door!"

"Shit… I'm late for work," Alex explained.

"Go on, answer it," Sylvia urged, "He'll break it down if you don't."

And Alex found herself wondering just how many times Sylvia had tried to keep Gene out… and how many times he had forced himself back into her life.

"I won't be long," she shouted through the locked door. Normally, she would have opened it and at some level Gene must have sensed that something was wrong.

"You got a bloke in there or something?"

"Ten minutes, no more."

"Just say the word and I'll throw the wanker out on his arse."

Alex turned to Sylvia, who nodded in response to her unasked question.

"Might as well get it over with," the other woman said quietly.

"Sorry," Alex whispered, not quite understanding why she was apologising for Gene. It was just something she was used to doing. She barely had the chance to open the door before Gene barged into the flat, a smirk on his face when he noticed her state of undress. His eyes lingered on her legs as said,

"Blimey Bols, the scum of London aren't going to wait for you to get your knickers on, you know."

Placing her hands on her hips, Alex sent a mock glare in his direction, refusing to make any attempt to cover herself up. Strange as it might seem, the shirt wasn't the skimpiest outfit she'd worn in front of him.

"Hello Gene."

Sylvia's quiet words wiped the smile from Gene's face as he tore his gaze from Alex and realised who was standing in the kitchen. The look he swept over the pair of them was one of complete disdain. Without even trying he somehow managed to make Alex feel dirty, as if she wasn't good enough to stand in his presence.

"The ex-missus munching on Bolly's beaver… can't decide whether it's a dream come true or the stuff of nightmares."

"Could you possibly be any more offensive?" Alex returned, her voice rising in disgust.

"Give me a moment and I'm sure I'll think of something. What is she doing in your flat?"

"Sylvia was under the impression that you still live here because you couldn't be arsed to leave a forwarding address."

"I didn't want to see the stupid cow again!"

"Sign these and you won't have to," Sylvia interrupted.

There was a catch in her voice. She sounded like she wanted to cry as she held out the envelope to Gene. He snatched it from her, barely giving it a cursory glance before he stuffed it into the pocket of his coat. Once again, Alex's heart went out to the woman. No one deserved this.

"It'll be my pleasure," Gene sneered before turning on his heel and marching out of the flat. He slammed the door with enough force to shake the walls.

The silence that was left in his wake was punctuated by Sylvia's quiet sobs. Now Gene was gone she had finally given into tears. Alex was so angry that she could have cheerfully followed the man out into the street to give him the kick in the balls he deserved.

"I knew this was a mistake," Sylvia said as she blew her nose. "I haven't seen him for so long… I just wanted to make sure he was okay, you know?"

"Do you still love him?" Alex questioned, regretting the words almost as soon as she'd said them. It almost sounded as if she had a reason for wanting to know.

"Not love exactly… but God help me I'm still fond of the bastard."

Sylvia took a deep breath.

"Would it be okay if I had a fag?"

"Yes… of course, I'll get you an ashtray," Alex heard herself reply, even though she hated people smoking in the flat. She busied herself making more tea whilst Sylvia lit up.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," the other woman went on. "I'm not usually this much of a mess."

"When I gave my ex the divorce papers I could have cried for a week... if it hadn't been for my daughter I probably would have done."

Sylvia's next words were spoken so quietly that Alex didn't think the other woman had been intending to speak at all.

"Sometimes I wonder what might have happened if Gene and I could have had kids. That's where it all went wrong," Sylvia continued, hinting a something so deeply personal that Alex wondered why she was choosing to unburden herself to a complete stranger.

"You don't have to tell me any of this."

"We tried for ages before I could get him to agree to see a doctor so we could have some tests done."

"Really… I don't need to know…"

"Finding out he had a low sperm count… well you can imagine what it did to a man like Gene? That's when he started shagging everything that moved… trying to prove that he were a real man…"

Sylvia stubbed out her first cigarette and immediately lit another. Her nervous behaviour only adding to Alex's discomfort.

"And then... I don't know if it were luck or what but I got pregnant. And when I told him… you know what he's like. He accused me of having an affair. Didn't matter a heap of shit anyway, I lost the baby and I lost Gene. Weren't much point in staying around after that."

"I'm sorry."

Alex's reply was heartfelt. She had seen Gene with children and had often wondered why he had none of his own. She had watched as Jackie Queen had offered him the chance only to snatch it away. Only now could she appreciate how cruel that had been. She sat quietly, letting Sylvia pull herself together but it was a while before the woman straightened and offered a false bright smile.

"Look, I'd better go. My partner's waiting for me at our hotel. I'll pop back Monday and pick up the papers."

"I'll be here," Alex promised.

Sylvia nodded and headed towards the door. She paused before leaving, not looking at Alex as she spoke,

"You know what else is hard… seeing him look at you like that."

"Like what?"

But Sylvia had gone leaving Alex more confused than ever.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Alex didn't know what to expect when she finally sat down behind her desk. She'd made a quiet entrance, choosing not to announce her appearance to her boss. The office door was shut and the blinds down. That and the fact that the incident room was unnaturally quiet was enough to tell Alex that Gene Hunt was in a foul mood. She wasn't going to be the one to disturb him.

It was lunchtime when he left. Real lunchtime… not whatever time he decided was right to take the team out to get pissed. Gene didn't spare her a second glance as he strode past her desk and Alex almost gagged on the stench of whiskey that surrounded him. Peering into the office she could see the familiar brown envelope resting on the desk.

"What's the matter with the Guv?" Chris dared to ask.

"No idea," Alex lied. It wasn't her place to reveal the details of Gene's personal life. They didn't need to know.

"He were in a good mood until you didn't show up on time," Ray grumbled.

"Did you say something, DS Carling?"

"No."

"Good."

She would give Gene a couple of hours, Alex decided, before going to check that he hadn't drunk himself to death on Luigi's house red.

Conversation gradually picked up, but Alex was only half listening to Ray as he recounted the unlikely story of his latest sexual conquest. Given the fact his tale sounded suspiciously as if it had been lifted from the plot of a porn film, Alex doubted it was true.

No one was paying attention when she slipped on her white jacket and said quietly to Shaz,

"I'm going to check on the Guv."

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine," Alex replied with more assurance than she felt.

The Quattro was still in its parking space when she stepped outside. The sight of the familiar red car was somewhat reassuring. It meant that Gene wasn't tearing around the streets of London risking the lives of fellow road users. Alex tried to pretend that she didn't care what he did with his own life but in her heart she knew that wasn't true. She'd be devastated if Gene managed to hurt himself. Her joy was, however, short lived. When she entered Luigi's she quickly ascertained that Gene wasn't there and no one had seen him. Alex swore to herself as she realised that she'd have to check every pub within staggering distance. She wondered if she shouldn't go and recruit some help but quickly dismissed the idea. Gene wouldn't want to appear weak before his team. If he was lying in a gutter somewhere then it was best that Alex was the one to find him. She, at least, knew how to keep her mouth shut.

There was a wide variety of drinking establishments in the area and most of them Alex didn't feel comfortable walking into alone. The later it got, the more disreputable the crowds became. It wasn't the worst place to be on a Friday night but after Alex had had her bum slapped, pinched and groped her temper was starting to fray. More than once she contemplated flashing her warrant card and making a few arrests. Gene Hunt was bloody well going to pay when she finally found him…

… and find him she did. The pub wasn't large. A single, smoky, dimly lit room that was packed with people. He was sat at the back, a whiskey chaser in one hand and the breast of a Madonna wannabe peroxide blonde in the other. Alex felt slightly sick as she watched them. Gene looked like he was enjoying himself and she had no idea how she was going to get him out of there. In search of inspiration, she turned to the bar and bought herself a drink. She caught a glimpse of Gene whispering something in the girl's ear and being rewarded by a high pitched giggle and a tongue down his throat. God, the girl couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen… what the hell was he doing?

Taking her drink with her, Alex put a bright smile on her face and sat down at the table.

"Mind if I join you?" she said in a voice loud enough to break through their false passion.

Gene tore himself away from the kiss, staring blearily at Alex as if he didn't quite know who she was.

"Don't you have homework to do?" Alex said pointedly to the girl, gesturing towards the door. The girl lit a cigarette and blew the smoke in Alex's face.

"Left school a while back, grandma," she sneered.

"And I bet you passed your domestic science CSE with flying colours."

"Piss off, Alex," Gene slurred. "Don't need you. Having fun with…"

He frowned as he struggled to remember the girl's name.

"Donna," she supplied.

"Having fun with Delia. She's not like you…Hasn't got a stick up her arse."

"Oh for God's sake," Alex muttered to herself. She really didn't need this. Praying to whatever deity controlled this twisted reality she mentally counted to ten before steeling herself and placing her hand on Gene's thigh.

"But we could have fun too, Gene," she pouted at him, squeezing gently. He looked as Donna and then back at Alex. She lent forward a little, just enough so that he could see down her shirt, knowing damn well that her bra was see-through.

"What kind of fun?" he demanded, talking to her left nipple.

"Any way you want… any where you want," Alex breathed, feigning sexual excitement that she certainly didn't feel. She really hoped that, when he was sober again, he didn't remember any of this.

"Come on Genie," Donna was suddenly on her feet, tugging at his hand.

"In a minute, Delia" Gene replied, his attention still fixed on Alex. "Everyone wants a bit of the Gene Genie, Bols… you'll have to wait your turn."

Panicking slightly, Alex slid her hand higher, using her nails to dig into the sensitive flesh for a second… and then she let him go.

"You know I don't like waiting Gene. Don't turn me down again… who knows who I might end up with."

She sent a pointed glance to one of the young men gathered by the bar. It was risky but she was playing on the fact that Gene wouldn't want to see her with someone else. Standing, she sauntered away, walking in such a way that half the men in the place turned to watch her pass. Leaning on the bar, Alex accepted another drink from the man closest to her but she was somewhat relieved when someone clumsily removed the glass from her hand. Gene was standing behind her, swaying slightly but there was no sign of Donna.

"Alright you're on," he said. "But this better not be a wind up."

"Come on… let's get you home," was all Alex said as she slung her arm about his waist and led him out of the pub.


	2. Chapter 2

The cold night air did nothing to sober Gene up. If anything he was even less steady on his feet and Alex was having trouble supporting him. Taking a cab was out of the question, he was too far gone for any driver to even consider taking him… which left Alex wondering exactly how she was going to persuade him to walk the mile back to Fenchurch East without shagging her on the way. She had never seen him this way before. She could deal with Gene Hunt when he was angry or violent but not when he was so drunk that he couldn't possibly be in control of his actions. For the first time since she had fallen into this world, Alex realised that she was actually scared of what he might do. In her naivety, she had offered Gene sex as an incentive and she desperately hoped that he wasn't going to try and collect on the promise. All she wanted to do was get him back to Fenchurch East where she could let him pass out.

Gene, however, wasn't in the mood to hurry. He seemed quite happy to stagger along beside her with his arm draped possessively around her neck. His attention was fixed on the view down her shirt and Alex breathed a sigh of relief that the sight of her breasts was enough to distract him, at least for a while.

"You've got great tits, Bols," he slurred.

"Thanks…" she replied, more concerned with safely crossing the road than with his appreciation.

"Makes me want to…"

Alex gasped as his hand suddenly snaked downwards, capturing one of her breasts not too gently his grasp.

"How about a quickie on the way home?" he whispered into her ear, the stench of whiskey sending her senses reeling.

"No!"

Alex pushed him away, ready to hit him if he tried again. He didn't. His angry glare was enough to make her take a step backwards, but he didn't raise his hand against her. There was something else in his expression… a vulnerability that she'd never seen before.

"Should have known… You're nothing but a cock tease, Drake" he spat.

"You can't possibly think that I'd want to have sex with you in some dirty alley!"

He ignored her and started to lurch toward a nearby side street.

"Gene! Gene! Where are you going?"

"For a piss!" he yelled back over his shoulder. "Didn't want to shag you anyway… tight arsed bitch!"

His nasty words actually brought tears to her eyes. Somehow they hurt more than the fact he'd tried to grope her. Leaning against the nearest wall, Alex wondered if he'd bother to come back. A minute went by then two. Five minutes stretched to ten and she started to think that she had lost him. Peering down the street she couldn't make out his form in the darkness. She was coming to the conclusion that he'd simply gone back to the pub in search of Donna… or had passed out and was lying in a pool of his own urine.

Swearing to herself, Alex headed down the narrow road. Tall buildings loomed up either side, the back entrances of the pubs and clubs that lined the main roads. She found herself picking her way carefully through the piles of rubbish but there was no sign of Gene's black coat. He wasn't lying in the street unconscious... but he was wrapped around Donna. Their lips were glued together and the young woman seemed intent on working her hands into Gene's trousers. He pushed them away once, but she obviously wasn't going to give up easily. Gene would get his shag, Alex realised bitterly and she didn't have the energy to stop him again.

Sadly, Alex turned and started to walk away. She'd done her best to help, but had just received abuse in return. She'd expected better from him and been disappointed. In her mind Gene Hunt had been a hero, someone who, despite his faults, was a good man. Now she didn't know what she thought.

Head down, her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, Alex did her best to ignore the various inebriated examples of humanity who were leaving the pubs. It was chucking out time… she hadn't realised that it was so late. It was ironic really. Normally on a Friday night she would be in a similar condition. Usually it was all she could do to stagger up to her flat without passing out on the way… now she felt distressingly sober. The streets grew more crowded as she approached the local night club. Groups of people stood around outside, all waiting for the approval of the bouncer who was appropriately built like the proverbial brick shit house. Alex had to push her way past as she struggled to stay on the pavement and out of the path of the cars that suddenly seemed to be streaming past. She stumbled and a hand grabbed hold of her, but even as she turned to give thanks, Alex realised that she'd made a mistake.

"It's my birthday! Give us a kiss!"

The young man was almost in her face. Alex tried to push him away but he seemed intent on snogging her. She struggled, hoping that someone would notice, but the man's friends were egging him on. Their cheers drowned out her cries for help. She tried to make eye contact with the bouncer but he was busy dealing with a small fight that had broken out elsewhere in the line.

"Piss off!" Alex screamed only for the laughter around her to grow more raucous. They thought she was hilarious.

She relaxed for a second, giving him the impression that she was actually going to let him get what he wanted, but as he moved closer Alex raised her knee. The man howled in pain as he let go but before she could make good on her escape someone pushed her into a nearby wall. The impact shocked more than hurt her. Even as she opened her mouth in an attempt to reason with then, Alex realised that any attempt at negotiation was bound to fail.

"Stupid bitch!"

"Slag!"

"Cow!

Alex covered her head with her hands as she tried to block out the insults and the laughter. There didn't seem to be a way through the crowd surrounding her. She could no longer see the bouncer. No one was touching her, but Alex still felt like she was being physically attacked, violated…

... and then Gene was pushing his way through the crowd towards her. She didn't know how or why he was there but she could have cried at the sight of him elbowing one man in the face and kicking another in the balls. The bouncer tried to stop him, but like the sheriffs of old, Gene pulled out his badge and warned him away. But while his attention was diverted one stupid young man took a chance and hit him. Alex cried out as she saw the blood, but Gene didn't seem to notice that he was hurt. He rounded on the man, knocking him down and grinding his face into the pavement.

"Stop it!"

Alex hoped that her voice would be enough to get through to him or at least make him hesitate. She hated this… this world, this place… him.

"Guv… take me home." she pleaded with him.

She took his hand, entangling her fingers with his as she tried to pull him away. He seemed reluctant at first, stopping to aim one last kick at the stricken man before finally giving in.

The noise of the crowd soon faded into the night and Alex was surprised when she suddenly found herself alone with him. His nose was still bleeding, and dark blood now stained his shirt and jacket. Worried, she dragged him to a nearby bench and made him sit down. He took out his handkerchief and made some attempt to dab the blood away but it was Alex who had to hold it on his nose and make sure that he bent forward long enough to stop the bleeding.

"I waited for you," she said.

Gene didn't answer. In Alex's mind the silence was damning.

"And you went off and shagged her anyway."

She tried to convince herself that it had been meaningless but somehow the thought of Gene with someone else was hurting more than she wanted to admit. She felt slightly sick. How long had it taken? Five? Ten minutes? And that was including foreplay.

"Why the hell did you come back?" she spat, forgetting for a moment that she had been grateful for his intervention.

"Didn't want you walking home on your own," he muttered.

Gene Hunt had always had a twisted sense of chivalry but this… Alex didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There must have been tears on her face because suddenly she felt an awkward arm about her shoulders.

"You stupid, stupid man," she said as she shoved him away from her. He fell off the bench, landing in a heap on the pavement. He stared up at her, clearly confused by her antagonism.

"I were just saying g'night. I didn't shag her," he protested as he hauled himself back to his feet, "Just being friendly."

He sounded a little bit ashamed of himself but Alex wasn't in the mood to be forgiving. It was late and she was tired. She wanted to be at home and in bed, and not walking the streets of London with her drunken boss.

"Whatever! Why should I care?"

But Gene seemed oblivious to her words. He looked decidedly pale and was swaying on his feet again. She almost wished that she had the guts to leave him there but he seemed so pathetic that she started to feel sorry for him all over again. This was a Gene Hunt that no one ever saw. The broken man. He was hurting and trying to deal with it the only way he knew how.

"I must be out of my mind," Alex muttered as she moved to help him.

Under any other circumstances, with any other man, a walk under the stars might have been a romantic. The night was cool and Alex would have welcomed an arm about her shoulders and warm body pressed against hers. But Gene was becoming less and less co-operative as time went on and the shear amount of alcohol he had consumed began to take its toll on his system. He was getting to the point where he wanted to sleep it off and Alex found herself having to bear more and more of his weight. By the time Luigi's was in sight she was almost at the point where she want to cry with relief.

It took a mixture of brute force and desperation to get him up the stairs and into her flat. Her strength finally ran out as she let him fall onto the kitchen floor.

"Guv… Guv... you can't sleep there," she tried to urge him to move for himself.

He rolled onto his back and stared up at her. Alex gave up. If he wanted to sleep on the cold, hard tiles who was she to argue.

"Never mind… I'll get some blankets."

By the time she got back, he had managed to haul himself onto the sofa. Alex took off his boots and his tie before placing a pillow under his head and covering him up with a blanket. With a gentle hand, she smoothed the hair back from his forehead, glad that he seemed to be asleep at last. Moving softly through the room, she closed the blinds and switched off the lights. It was only as she paused by his side one last time that his hand reached out to take hers.

"Stay," he said.

"I can't."

"Please."

"Go to sleep, Guv."

"Didn't shag her…Want you Alex… no one else."

Even knowing that he was drunk and probably had no idea what he was saying, his words were enough to make her hesitate.

"Not like this," she said eventually, "not when you're pissed and I'm angry."

"But you're always angry, Bols."

He dropped her hand and turned away from her so his face was buried in the back of the sofa. Alex waited for a moment, almost expecting him to speak again, but the only sound she heard was a gentle snore.

\/\/\/\/\/\

A/N Many thanks for all of the reviews for the first part of this story. Sorry it's taken me so long to update!


	3. Chapter 3

Alex barely slept that night. More than once she got up to check on Gene but he never showed any sign that he was aware of her presence. Her mind kept running over his words. The insults, she could ignore, but that final truth had hurt. She was angry, but not with him… not always. Most of the time she was raging against this world and her inability to escape its grasp. And sometimes… just sometimes she found herself wondering what it would be like to stay here, like Sam did. To build a life here and she couldn't help feeling that Gene would be a big part of that. Those days were the worst, when Alex hated herself for giving up and would take her anger out on whoever happened to be closet. She had to admit that most of the time that person was Gene. He could be the most infuriating man, but he didn't always deserve the grief she gave him.

As the sun rose, she slipped across the road to the station. Viv was the only person who saw her and Alex knew that he wouldn't say anything. The look he gave her was one of quiet understanding.

Alex knew that Gene spent most of his time at work so she wasn't surprised to find the spare shirt in his desk drawer or the shaving kit next to it. She took them both, hoping that he'd appreciate the gesture. As she took one more look around his office, her eyes were drawn to the brown envelope which still rested on the desk. She doubted that Gene had signed the divorce papers and she found herself wondering if he even wanted to. He might claim that the police force was the only thing he had ever loved but Alex didn't think for a moment that was true. Sylvia must have meant something to him otherwise he would never have married her.

Gene was still asleep when she got back. He'd rolled over so she could see his face. Even in sleep he didn't seem relaxed. He still pouted at her.

She had no idea what kind of mood he'd be in when he woke up but she doubted that he'd thank her for helping him. Searching his coat pocket, Alex found his cigars and put them on the coffee table with the rest of his things but she hesitated when it came to the hip flask. Hair of the dog wasn't a hangover cure. If he started drinking again, Alex knew that he was unlikely to stop. Decision made, she poured the whiskey down the sink and set about purging her flat of alcohol. Just as she finished the rattle of a smoker's cough warned Alex that her lion was waking from his slumber. He sat up, suddenly, obviously confused as to where he was.

"Not a word," he muttered as she watched him light a cigar with trembling hands.

Once he had taken that first important drag he shuffled past her to the bathroom. He seemed to take an age and the longer he spent in there, the more concerned Alex became. She even ventured to knock on the door but,

"Can't a bloke have a piss in peace!" was the only response she got.

When he finally emerged he went straight for the hipflask, looking puzzled when he found it empty. Alex didn't enlighten him. If he thought he had drunk it the night before so much the better and she tried not to look disapproving when he lit up for the second time. Despite the shave and the change of shirt he still looked rough … more than that he looked positively ill. The messed up hair suited him, but she couldn't say the same for the bloodshot eyes or the pallor of his complexion.

"Don't suppose there's any chance of a fry up?" he asked.

"No…There's coffee or I could make you some tea?"

"I've tasted your tea Bolly and it's like gnat's piss.

"It's Darjeeling!"

"Come on."

He picked up his coat, shrugged it on and started for the door.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked as she hurried after him.

"Not far."

It was a grey sort of day and the overcast sky promised rain before long, not cold exactly but damp and miserable. It was the kind of morning that Alex would have liked to have spent wrapped up in her duvet and not trailing after her boss in search of a full English and the perfect cuppa.

"You know that's a heart attack on a plate," Alex said when they were both sat in the grubby looking café. The place was packed, but Gene it seemed was well known as he quickly managed to find them somewhere to sit. Despite the pall of cigarette smoke and the copies of The Sun which were liberally scattered about, it wasn't the worst place Alex had ever eaten. And he'd been right about the tea.

"Best hangover cure there is," he replied as he took a bite of his fried bread. "And don't pretend you're not enjoying that, Bolly."

Alex snorted her disapproval but she had to admit that her bacon sandwich tasted very, very good. She grinned as she wiped the grease from her mouth with a paper napkin.

"Dried pigs blood just isn't my idea of fine dining," she went on. "Although with seared scallops and celeriac puree…"

"Poof food."

He speared some black pudding on his fork and held it out to her. Without thinking, Alex opened her mouth and let him feed her.

"Do you want to nibble my sausage as well?" he smirked as she licked her lips.

"Not on the first date, Guv."

"That's not what I've heard."

"Well you're not likely to find out."

"Shame."

The look he gave her was enough to send her pulse racing just a little bit faster but Alex answered as lightly as she dared.

"Are you flirting with me Mr. Hunt?"

She took another bite of her sandwich to cover the fact that she was blushing. The ketchup spurted out and dribbled down her chin. Wordlessly, Gene reached out and wiped the liquid from her skin.

"What do you think?" he asked.

One touch and Alex was struggling to remind herself that this wasn't a date in some fine dining restaurant; it was breakfast in a place that should have had health inspectors falling over themselves to shut it down. But before she could say anything, he pulled back and cleaned the sauce from his fingers using his own napkin.

"Want another cuppa?" he offered but Alex shook her head.

"I… I should go."

"Why? Got something better to do?"

"I…"

She couldn't think of anything.

"Suit yourself, but it's pissing down outside," he said. But there was a smile on his face as he stood up and threw some money down on the table. Taking a final gulp of his tea he guided her towards the door.

Pissing down was no real description for the deluge outside. Alex hadn't thought to bring a coat and her cardigan did little to keep out the water. Muttering something about 'bloody women' Gene immediately threw his coat around her shoulders. She wasn't cold but she appreciated the gesture. There was something comforting about the heavy weight of the dark wool and the hand that rested briefly on her back.

They were both soaked by the time they stumbled into her flat. Alex took off Gene's coat and started to hand it back to him but stopped when she noticed the expression on his face. The water had turned her top transparent and she looked like a reject from a wet T-shirt competition. If she had been in a less flustered state of mind she might have found the frank appreciation amusing. Instead, the undisguised leer only served to increase her embarrassment. For the second time in less than an hour, Alex found herself blushing furiously as she tried to draw her cardigan closer to her body.

"Don't," he said.

He stepped closer, but Alex didn't let her arms drop… she couldn't. His rough fingers caressed her face, a gesture that was as tender as it was terrifying.

"You're bloody gorgeous."

"You're still drunk."

"No I'm not."

Gene's hand slipped round to the back of her neck, but Alex only realised that he was going to kiss her a fraction of a second before he actually did. She tried to protest but the words were drowned by the sudden sensation of his lips on hers and all she managed to make was a small incoherent sound. The intensity of the kiss increased, Gene's tongue sliding briefly into her mouth, tasting her, caressing her. Instinctively, Alex's hands clutched at the front of his shirt before reality kicked in and she shoved him away.

"Don't touch me," she hissed.

"Come on Alex."

His voice was rough with desire as he made to kiss her again but before he could touch her Alex hit out at him with all the strength she possessed.

"What the bloody hell was that for!" he protested, holding his jaw.

"I said no!"

"Alright! Alright!"

She could see the red mark forming on his cheek but she hoped the only thing she'd wounded was his pride.

"I'd like you to leave now."

He pulled his coat on, feeling in his pocket for his car keys.

"You're right… pubs are open," he said, "Don't want to waste valuable drinking time."

"Don't you mean valuably shagging time?" Alex snapped back. "I'm sure Donna's still willing."

"For the last time, I didn't shag the stupid bitch! But you know what... "

"What?"

"I wish I bloody had. I'd be drunk and happy now, not sober and frustrated."

"Do you always get this nasty when a woman turns you down!"

"I do when I'm led to believe I'm on a promise!"

"For your information, Mr. Hunt, buying me a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea isn't enough to get into my knickers!"

"How about saving your worthless life!"

"You can't possibly have imagined that I actually wanted to have sex with you."

There was a dreadful silence and Alex realised that was exactly what he had thought.

"I can't believe I bloody fell for it an' all. Following you home like a demented puppy! It's the last time, Alex."

"Fine! I'll let you shag the next one."

"Great!"

"At least you can't get her pregnant!"

The silence that followed was devastating and Alex realised immediately that she had overstepped the mark. But, as much as she might have wanted to, she couldn't take back the words. She'd betrayed him, betrayed Syliva… Alex braced herself for a torrent of verbal abuse or maybe worse, but all he did was walk away.

"Gene… Gene… I'm sorry… I didn't mean… I'm sorry…" she tried calling after him, but she knew he wouldn't turn around. The front door slammed and Alex realised that, finally, she was truly alone.

\/\/\/\

A/N Thanks again for all of the reviews. I'm sorry this is taking me so long!


	4. Chapter 4

It was one AM when the shrill ring of the phone raised Alex from a fitful slumber.

"Drake," she answered, trying not to sound annoyed. No one would call at this time unless it was an emergency and she realised that her presence would be required somewhere by someone. Dragging her body out of the warm cocoon she had made for herself, Alex pulled her jeans on and paired them with and oversized jumper. She slapped some makeup on her face but mainly to disguise the dark circles under her eyes. This wasn't really the time for glamour.

She'd spent the day in her flat, watching the rain and brooding over her argument with Gene. There was simply no excuse for her behaviour. The physical slap had been bad enough but the verbal abuse she had hurled at him had hurt in a way that she could barely comprehend. Alex had been hoping that, by the time Monday morning rolled around, she would have thought of a way to put things right. She wasn't prepared to face him on a rainy night in her current sleep-deprived condition.

When she got to the station there was a pool car waiting to take her to the crime scene. Alex couldn't help thinking that the absence of Gene and the Quattro spoke volumes about his likely mood. By the time she had navigated her way though the rain slicked streets, she was more convinced than ever that whatever Gene said to her it was not likely to be pleasant. She recognised the road, the pub, the dark alley that was now illuminated by the glow of blue flashing lights.

Alex had to push her way through the throng of onlookers. Even at this ungodly hour of the morning there was quite a crowd lined up along the police tape. Ducking underneath, she hurried towards the knot of people at the far end.

"You took your time," Ray Carling glared at her. Alex ignored him, her gaze falling on Gene and the body that he was cradling in his arms.

"Shit," Alex swore quietly as she recognised the woman's face pale, bruised and bloodied beneath blonde hair.

At first she thought he was holding a corpse, but there was a slight movement as the woman struggled and Gene sought to calm her.

"It's alright Donna love… stay with me… ambulance'll be here soon."

"Chris, find out what's holding them up," Alex snapped out the order and sent the young man scuttling away. Gene looked up when he heard her voice but his face was a mask and she couldn't tell what he was feeling.

"Looks as if the Guv knows her," Ray went on.

"How could he? She's just a kid," Alex replied bitterly. This was all so, so wrong. It was then that Alex realised that Donna was wearing the same clothes as she'd had on the previous night.

"Do we know what happened?" she went on.

Ray shook his head, "There's not much to go on. She was found about half an hour ago passed out behind the bins. Don't know how long she'd been there but it looks as if someone gave her a right old seeing to. Knocked her about a bit as well."

"Raped?"

"I reckon so. Dressed like that she was probably looking for a good time."

Disgusted, she pushed past Ray and knelt down next to Donna. Alex ignored the dirty look that Gene sent in her direction as she took the girl's hand. There was a pulse but it was weak, fluttering beneath her fingertips.

"Donna… Donna can you hear me?" Alex said.

"Leave her alone," Gene hissed.

"This is important. We need to know who did this… Who hurt you, Donna?" she urged.

The girl moaned something but her words were drowned out by the wail of the ambulance siren. Alex glanced at Gene and the anguish was written plainly on his face.

"No … Donna …" he was pleading with her to stay but somehow Alex knew that they were too late.

She didn't protest as the paramedics shoved her out of the way. Sitting against the nearest wall she watched as they tried to save Donna's life. Whether the girl had been bleeding internally or whether there had been some other problem, Alex couldn't tell. All she could do was watch as the life faded. Gene refused to move. He was still talking to Donna as she took her last breath and his touch must have been the last thing she felt. Alex had tears in her eyes when she realised that the girl's spirit had surrendered to the unknown. It was only then that Gene let her go. As the paramedics busied themselves trying to resuscitate the corpse he leaned back against the wall, his head bowed.

"Ma'am?" Chris came up to her, his young face anxious.

"We need to make an appeal for witnesses…" Alex began as she slowly climbed to her feet.

"That bloke over there says he…"

Chris hesitated, glancing between Gene and Alex.

"He what?" Alex pushed.

"He says he saw the Guv with her Friday night."

Alex turned to look at the man in question. A tall man, in his mid-twenties he watched the paramedics work with a blank expression on his handsome face. There was something about him… something…

"Shall I get a statement?"

"Yes Chris."

"Right…"

But Chris didn't move.

"What is it?"

"You don't think… the Guv… I mean he wouldn't… would he?"

"No."

She answered immediately without even having to consider about her reply. Gene Hunt was many things but he wasn't capable of this.

"Right… 'course not… I'd better get that statement."

"You do that. Ray, get on the radio to forensics."

The paramedics stepped away from the body, having given up at last and Alex caught one more glimpse of Donna's pale, innocent face before the sheet was pulled up over her head. Another life wasted. Gene's only reaction was to let his head fall back against the wall. He looked worn out… tired of all the shit life kept throwing his way. Slowly, Alex walked over to join him.

"I'm sorry," she said, quietly. "If she'd have gone home with you she would have been safe. You would have taken care of her."

He didn't answer so Alex continued,

"Sometimes I forget… I forget that what I do here has consequences. I can't believe she lay here a whole day and no one…"

She stopped, seeing the dank dirty interior of a barge on a river. Alex shivered as she felt her own death edge a little closer.

"But they found me. I'm on my way to hospital… Molly's waiting…"

"Show some bloody respect!" Gene hissed, "This isn't about you!"

His words were harsh but Alex realised that she probably deserved them. She must have sounded very selfish.

"You should know, Guv… there's a witness who saw you with her on Friday night."

"Did they see you an' all?"

"I don't think so."

"Oh bloody joy!"

She wanted to offer him some words of assurance, but they both knew there had been a time on that fateful night when she hadn't been with him. There would be accusations and protecting him from those was going to be hard. Everything would come out … including her own part in this tragedy, but Alex was determined to be strong for him… if he'd let her.

"Ma'am?"

Shaz was headed towards them, something clutched in her gloved hand.

"Yes, what is it?"

"I found this."

It was Gene who took the purse from Shaz's hand. He rifled through the contents and before Alex could warn him about contaminating evidence, a photo fluttered to the ground. She picked it up, holding it between numb fingers as she took in the sight of the two smiling faces; Donna, standing in a park with a grinning toddler in her arms.

Wordlessly, she handed the slip of paper to Gene.

"Well?" he demanded.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to give me some kind of lecture about dumb tarts getting themselves knocked up?"

"Hardly," Alex gestured towards herself before continuing, "Single mum… remember? And I was the dumbest tart of them all."

The memories of her first few years with Molly came flooding back. Alex could see it now… a young single mum… Friday night had probably been Donna's first night out for months. She would have been determined to enjoy herself and forget the lingering guilt that came from leaving her child behind.

"Did you find an address?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded, before signalling that she should accompany him.

"Where are we going?"

"To break the bad news. Someone must be home with the kiddie."

Alex followed; unable to work out whether this was some kind of punishment or whether they had reached an uneasy truce.


	5. Chapter 5

Judging by the way Gene drove he was either extremely angry, extremely upset or both but Alex didn't say anything as she clung to the dashboard. The rain was falling again in earnest and the poor visibility was doing nothing to slow him down. She suspected that he was doing it on purpose which was why she kept her mouth shut and didn't complain. The last thing she wanted was to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was scaring her. And she was scared, there was no doubt about that. She could feel the darkness in his soul, the hatred that burned for whoever had perpetrated this crime. Alex feared that her strength might not be enough to stop him if he decided to mete out his own form of justice.

"This is it?" she asked when the Quattro finally skidded to a halt.

"What did you expect? Buckingham bleeding palace?"

The block of flats was a monument to 70s architecture, a grey concrete megalith that soared into the sky. The thought of bringing up a child here sent a shiver down Alex's spine. She couldn't imagine letting Molly play on the scrubby patch of green that served as a garden or run around the dirty car park. Even at two AM there were lights on and she could feel rather than hear the distorted base of music pulsating through the night. At one corner, a flight of stairs wound its way upwards. The stairwell, like those in multi-storey car parks all over the world, stank of piss.

"I'll go first, shall I?" Alex suggested.

"No."

Gene brushed past and led the way upwards, surprising Alex that he had denied himself the opportunity to stare at her arse. She was left to struggle along behind him, wondering how a man who smoked forty a day could possibly move so quickly. Her legs were aching by the time they reached the fifth floor and she realised that the constant diet of wine and pasta was taking an unexpected toll on her body. As she paused to catch her breath, Alex made a mental note to lay off the Chianti and take more exercise. But she couldn't indulge herself for very long. Gene was already knocking on one of the doors.

The abrupt sound was met by the wail of a child's cry and it was several moments before a tired looking woman answered the door. She was a couple of decades older than Donna but there was no mistaking the family resemblance or that of the child who was clutched in her arms. The little boy was red in the face, screaming fit to burst, as if he already knew the fate that had overcome his mother.

"It's about Donna, isn't it?" the woman said. Judging by the age difference she had to be Donna's mum, but Alex couldn't be certain. She could have been a sister or an aunt.

"Can we come in?" Gene asked.

The woman stepped back and let them into the flat.

Cramped and dark, it was neater than Alex had expected. Clean enough that she had no qualms about sitting on the couch or about accepting the cup of tea that was offered. The child was fussing, making it hard to talk and Alex could see that Gene was struggling to hold onto his temper, but he spoke calmly, sounding almost detached from the horrific events they had witnessed an hour earlier.

"I knew it… I knew she'd get herself into trouble."

As the woman burst into tears, Alex prepared herself to take over but was surprised when Gene put an awkward arm about her shoulders.

"I'll go and see to the tea," Alex said somewhat lamely, using the excuse to escape from a situation where she felt somewhat unnecessary.

She took a deep breath when she reached the tiny entrance hall. There were photos on the walls and Alex took a moment to look at them, trying to distract herself from the sound of the woman's sobs. There were several of Donna growing up, from bouncing babe through her school and teenage years. A history that would never be completed.

She was just about to go and make the tea when the last photograph caught her eye. It must have been taken at the same time as the one they had found in Donna's purse as the background was similar. But in this photo there was a third person in the frame. Reaching out, Alex took the picture off of the wall and returned to the living room.

"Who is this man?" she demanded.

"DI Drake this is hardly the time…" Gene interrupted but the woman shook her head.

"No it's all right. That's her boyfriend… ex-boyfriend. His name's Shane. "

Despite the circumstances, Alex felt herself choke back a grimace. Shane and Donna… she could almost see the names on the windscreen of a mini metro. Yet in the photo they looked happy enough.

"They split up a couple of weeks ago… and good bloody riddance. That's why she went out Friday. I begged her to. Told her to stop sitting around and moping over that worthless piece of shit!"

"Where does he live?"

"Upstairs… number 612"

Still clutching the photo, Alex started to leave only for Gene to follow.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" he hissed.

"I'll be back… just following up a lead."

She had recognised the man in the photo. He had been the man that Chris had pointed out in the crowd, the man who had seen Gene with Donna. Alex was sure that it wasn't a coincidence.

"Drake! Drake!" he shouted after her, but he was distracted by renewed sobbing from inside of the flat and when Alex next looked back, she found herself alone.

No one answered when she knocked at the door of flat 612. It was possible, she supposed, that Shane hadn't yet returned. Disappointed, Alex realised that this would probably have to wait for another time. She was about to give up and go back to Gene when she heard the scrape of a shoe and turned to see a shadow fleeing down the stairs. Without another thought, she plunged after him, taking the stairs at a speed that was really too fast for her stiletto heels. The clatter echoed through the enclosed space as Alex tried to catch up with the fleeing figure.

"Stop! police!" she yelled, having little belief that her cry would do anything to slow him down. A brief glimpse of his face had been enough to convince her that the man was the elusive Shane. It might just have been panic but he was acting like a guilty man and Alex was determined to chase him down. In the end one slip was all it took. Even though he knew the territory and wasn't encumbered with high heels, Shane couldn't do much about the rain and the pools of water the lay on the ground. He was running across the car park when his feet went from under him as he slipped on a patch of oil. The few seconds he lay there with the wind knocked out of him were enough for Alex to catch up.

"I just want to talk to you about Donna," she panted, wishing she didn't sound so out of breath.

But Shane was already struggling to his feet and Alex saw something flash in his hand. She flung herself backwards as he lunged towards her but she wasn't fast enough. He made a wild slash and the blade tore into the skin on her face. Gasping in shock rather than in pain Alex desperately tried to recall everything she had ever been told about facing an armed opponent. Focussing on the man and not the weapon he held, she tried to work out what his intention was. Did he really want to kill her? Somehow she didn't think so.

He made another unbalanced attack and Alex danced backwards, keeping as close as she dared. There were cars all around them and in the distance she could see the far wall of the car park. It wasn't very high but she knew that he wouldn't be able to get over it without her catching him. He was trying to slow her down. Water was running down her face, but Alex didn't wipe it away. She had the feeling that this man knew exactly what had happened to Donna and she wasn't going to give him the chance to run.

"I know you don't want to hurt me, Shane," she went on, shouting to make herself heard over the rain. "Put the knife down and we'll talk."

As he lunged for the third time, Alex caught his arm, trying to knock the knife from his grasp but he easily shook her off. She circled him warily, wondering how long she could keep him talking. He was getting desperate.

"We just need to know what happened to Donna?"

It seemed there was no reasoning with him. This time his attack had more aggression behind it and Alex crashed into a nearby car in her efforts to avoid the blade. Pressing his advantage, Shane started to move again… just as something large and black collided with him, forcing him to let go of the knife which skittered away under a nearby car. Alex almost cheered as she realised that, once again, Gene had come to her rescue. However he had miscalculated his jump and his excess momentum had pushed him too far. He rolled across the concrete unable to gain his feet before the younger man, who was already starting to run.

But he wasn't destined to get very far. Alex had used Gene's distraction to get behind him and as soon as Shane turned he found himself face to face with her. Without hesitation, she slammed her fist into his jaw and took no small satisfaction in watching as he crumpled to the floor. Within a few seconds Gene had him cuffed and was in the process of beating seven kinds of shit out of the prone man.

"Gene Stop!" Alex cried out as she tried to pull him away, trusting that Gene wasn't so far gone that he would hit her by mistake. She grasped his forearms tightly enough that it had to have hurt, but her one thought was to drag him back to reality.

"Stop!" she begged him.

"He could have killed you!"

"I know… I know… but I'm fine…I'm fine Gene," she soothed.

She relaxed her grip on his arms and tried to smile only to wince as she felt the cut on her cheek pull. Gene was staring down at her and, for once, his emotions were laid bare. The next thing Alex knew he was kissing her. Pouring everything he was feeling into one moment of unguarded passion. Lips, teeth, tongue, she could feel them all. Alex couldn't help but respond, kissing him back with a fervour that surprised her. Suddenly it felt good to be here, with him, in the rain. All thoughts of home, of Molly were driven out under his relentless onslaught on her senses.

But it was over far too quickly and Gene stepped away, seemingly embarrassed by his blatant display of emotion.

"Right… well… we'll get this little scrotum banged up for the night then get you down the hospital."

"Really, there's no need."

"This needs stitches, Alex."

He touched her cheek, his fingers gentle on her skin.

"Don't worry; you'll still have your pretty face at the end of it."

"I'm not worried."

The adrenalin rush was fading fast and Alex had to fight the urge to seek comfort in his arms. She was tired, wet and hurting and she wanted a hug but she also knew that Gene wouldn't thank her for it. They still had a job to finish, as he reminded her with his next words. He hauled Shane upright and said,

"I'll meet you at the car... see if you can find that knife."

"Guv?"

She felt sick to her stomach at the implication, even more so when Gene added,

"There were cuts on Donna's body."


	6. Chapter 6

"Stop it."

Alex ignored Gene's sharp words as she brushed her hair over one side of her face. She had never been vain but the sight of the neat row of stitches was enough to make her feel slightly sick and she wanted to hide it away. Whatever Gene might say Alex knew that she would bear the scar for some time. Knife wounds could never be described as pretty, especially if they didn't heal properly. She didn't like the stares it drew or the whispers. As a woman in the met she was used to both but never for something like this. She hated the fact that people felt sorry for her.

There were too many reflective surfaces in this world. Everywhere Alex turned, she saw herself. And it was ugly. Back at the station, the duty pathologist had taken photos, measurements… matching the wound on her face to the blade and, she hoped, to the cuts on Donna's body. A necessary but traumatic experience. She just hoped the evidence would be enough to link Shane with Donna's murder. If not then Alex knew that Gene would be in for a rough time.

"Put enough slap on your face and no one will notice," he went on.

"Shut up!"

In his own way, he was trying to be helpful. He'd driven to hospital, shouted at the staff until they'd seen her and now he was taking her home again at a speed that was within the limit... but Alex was tired and she was in pain and somehow it seemed easier to yell at him than berate herself.

"Next time get your bloody arm up first. The leather on that poncey white jacket would have stopped it."

"I know!"

He was right. Her mind was going over the events of the night, and Alex knew she should have been able to handle the situation without getting herself hurt.

"I know," she repeated in a whisper.

"Here."

He handed his hip flask over. Despite the fact that it was 5.30 in the morning, Alex took a sip, grateful for the warm burn of the whiskey as it slid down her throat. Her clothes were still damp with water, with blood. She couldn't wait to get home, take a shower and shut herself away from the world. Unwilling to prolong the conversation with Gene, she turned her head away from him and watched the buildings flash past. It had finally stopped raining but the world still seemed cold and grey.

"So I'll see you Monday then?" 

Alex's eyes snapped open she looked around to see the familiar sign outside Luigi's.

"Yes… Monday…" she replied as she started to get out of the car. Gene wasn't looking at her. His eyes were fixed straight ahead. He seemed lost and Alex realised that she wasn't the only one who needed reassurance. She turned back to him, letting her hand rest gently on his.

"It'll be alright," she said.

"No it won't."

"There were extenuating circumstances. Maybe you could…"

"Not a word Drake. I mean it! I will not spill my guts to D and C and I will not drag Sylvia into this heap of shit and you can keep out of it an' all."

"I will not!"

"No! You know as well as I do, this'll get dragged through the courts and me along with it. Even if we secure a conviction some bastard lefty lawyer will probably get him off… I can hear it now…grew up on a council estate, no dad, pissed up policeman snogging his girlfriend… the bloody jury'll feel sorry for him."

"We have Shane, we have a weapon… If we're lucky we'll even get a confession out of him. He cut my face Gene! Trust me, he's going down but I won't let him take you with him. I won't … shit."

She broke off; fumbling for the tissues she kept in her jacket pocket but they, like everything else were wet. The next thing she knew, Gene was pushing a clean handkerchief into her hands.

"I didn't know you cared," he said. There was the ghost of a smile on his face and Alex laughed, she couldn't help herself. He really had no idea. Reaching out she let her fingers trail over the light stubble on his cheek.

"You, Gene Hunt, are the only reason I would even consider staying in this miserable place. The only thing that would make life bearable if I had to stay here forever."

Leaning forward, she kissed him, pressing her lips to his for a moment in a gesture that was full of tender passion.

"What was that for?" he asked when she pulled back, surprise softening his voice.

Alex took his hand, twining her fingers with his. She was nervous. Scared he'd say no … scared he'd say yes. He looked down at their joined hands and then back at her.

"I'm not in the mood for games Alex," he said.

"I'm not playing. Not anymore."

"And I'm not in the mood for a pity shag either."

"Is that really what you think this is?"

"You tell me. Yesterday you punched me in the gob. Today…"

"I'm all over you like some cheap tart?"

She found herself laughing again, trying to ignore the pain his rejection caused but it seemed that, for once, Gene was wiser than his words. He reached across and pulled her into an awkward hug.

"I don't think you're a tart," he whispered into her hair. "But you're more in need of bath and a warm bed than a good seeing to. I'm that knackered I can barely raise a finger never mind anything else…Best I can manage is a bit of a cuddle."

In her heart, Alex knew that he was right. They were too tired for anything other than sleep. It was actually rather sweet. She smiled against him for a second before raising her head to meet his eyes,

"I could really use a cuddle," she admitted.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

When Alex woke it was early evening and her face was throbbing.

Even though she had slept the day away, Alex felt no immediate inclination to move. The Sun, low in the sky was illuminating the bedroom with a warm rosy light, shining on the quiet figure of the man lying next to her. For some reason she hadn't expected Gene to stay, but here he was sprawled on his stomach, one arm still flung across her waist. There had been no frantic sex, no tearing of clothes, no heated passion. She'd fallen asleep to the gentle beat of his heart and the warmth of his arms about her.

Alex still didn't know what to think. She would have bet good money that Gene would have taken the opportunity to get into her knickers however tired he claimed to be. He'd turned her down before but this felt different somehow. He trusted her; she had no doubt of that. And he wanted her… she had the feeling that he wouldn't be in her bed if he didn't. She was very aware that he was wearing nothing but a pair of her old pyjama bottoms… He hadn't complained when she suggested he put them on… not even about the pink stripes. It was all very curious.

Carefully, she let her fingers trail down his naked back, marvelling at the softness of his skin. Her touch was tentative. As she had noticed before, his sleep didn't seem restful. A lifetime of stress and worry was etched on his face but he seemed to gentle a little at her touch. She didn't want to disturb him though, so she placed a tiny kiss between his shoulder blades before getting out of bed and heading for the kitchen.

Alex poured herself a glass of water, sipping it slowly as she tried to rid herself of the lingering headache brought on by the long night and too little sleep. Almost without thinking about it, she ran her fingers over the cut on her face. It felt inflamed. She prodded a little harder, gasping at the flash of pain. It all felt so real. Head bowed, she leaned over the sink, trying to resist the urge to cry or be sick … or both. Given her location she felt that tears were preferable but before she could give in she felt a pair of strong arms around her waist and a soft kiss on her injured cheek.

"What was that that for?" she asked, repeating his words from the night before. Surprised by the spontaneous display of affection from the man she'd thought she'd left soundly asleep. She leaned back against him, taking comfort in the warmth of his body.

"Woke up on me own. Thought you might have done a runner," Gene said.

"Why would I do that?"

"Dunno… I just… I had a dream I was calling out and you weren't there."

Alex didn't know what to say. She was utterly aware that, one day very soon, his dream could very well come true. Alex glanced over her shoulder at him. All bed hair and sleepy eyes; he looked rather adorable. But the moment of vulnerability was brief,

"Do you always walk around your flat with your arse hanging out?"

Feeling slightly self-conscious, she pulled at the hem of the nightshirt she was wearing. It hadn't appeared that short when she'd put it on not that Gene seemed to mind. One of his hands slipped down her body and under the shirt, toying with the elastic on the knickers she work underneath.

"I like it," he growled into her ear.

Seemed he wasn't tired anymore. Slowly, he pushed the collar of her nightshirt out of the way so he could kiss her neck. Hot, wet, open mouthed kisses. Alex felt a shiver of pleasure run through her body as he nipped gently on the tender flesh. She turned in his embrace, draping her arms around his neck,

"What do you want Mr. Hunt?" she breathed. "Right now."

"What? Anything?"

"Anything."

"Right now?"

"Say it."

"Do I have to?"

Alex nodded She wasn't teasing. She needed to know. Gene pulled back a little, looking into her eyes as he started to undo the buttons on her shirt. He gave her every chance to stop him, to push him away but Alex didn't. She let him slip the shirt from her body.

"I want you Alex Drake," he replied just before capturing her lips with his own.


	7. Chapter 7

Alex dreamt of home that night, of Molly and when she woke her face was wet with tears. Instinctively she reached out, confused for a moment to find the warmth of another body rather than the coolness of empty sheets.

"Wass the matter… Bolly?"

The sleepy voice finally roused her back to full consciousness. Alex opened her eyes, blinking in the dim light. She propped herself up on one elbow, taking in the sight of him.

"You're here," she said.

"'course I'm here… did you think I'd shag you and buggar off?"

Alex moved closer, settling herself comfortably in his embrace. She felt his hand lightly touch her cheek and turned her face towards him, forgetting for a moment about the stains from her tears. He frowned as he wiped the moisture away,

"It weren't that bad… was it?"

"God no!"

Alex blushed . She had always thought of Gene Hunt as a man who knew more about racing form than he did about foreplay. He'd told her she was beautiful. No other man had ever said that to her… not even Pete.

"What are we doing, Gene?" she said, idly tracing patterns on his chest.

"Buggared if I know," he admitted with a laugh. It was a good sound, a happy sound. It made her smile and she was content to lie there in silence, but to her surprise Gene spoke again.

"I can't get you home or back to your little girl… can't give you more kids." He hesitated then kissed her, long and sweet.

Alex didn't reply immediately. She thought carefully about her answer, not wanting to lie to him. For a man who boasted about his sexual prowess he didn't seem very sure of himself now.

"I am a very, very long way from home," she said, "And I don't know if I'll ever get back. And I am so, so scared that I will never see my daughter again… but you… you keep me safe, Gene. I don't need anything else."

"Apart from my perfect body and the great sex."

Alex laughed as she stroked his belly. He tightened his hold on her and she realised that she had given him the reassurance he wanted.

"I should go," he mumbled into her hair.

"You don't have to."

"Been wearing the same clothes for three days. Can't turn up to work looking like I've slept in shit."

"Or in your DI's bed?"

He chuckled, "That an' all. Ray would get jealous."

But he didn't seem inclined to actually move… and Alex was even less inclined to let him. She felt warn, protected, loved. Maybe they were just two lonely people tentatively seeking companionship but there were worse reasons to be together.

Alex didn't know what made her speak again, lulled into a false sense of intimacy by his closeness, his touch.

"Did you want children?" she asked.

"Dunno… didn't really think about it until we found out that we couldn't."

"I can see you running around with a little boy. Playing cops and robbers, kicking a ball around…"

"Or a little girl. Could have been a girl. Wasn't bothered really …"

He moved suddenly, rolling Alex onto her back, grinning down at her when he completed the manoeuvre.

"Post coital conversation's not really my thing Bolly could you just shut up and shag me again?"

"It might help."

"Shagging?"

"Talking."

For some reason Alex couldn't let this go. She knew he was hurting and she wanted to help but Gene wasn't of the same mind. He drew away from her, kneeling up on the bed and looking down at her as if she were a piece of criminal scum that he had to intimidate.

"No it bloody won't. It was the shittiest time of my shitty life. The wife got herself knocked up by some twat on the Drugs squad… DI Robinson."

"She said it was yours…"

Alex answered without thinking. Once again betraying a confidence that she had no right to utter

"And you believed her?"

"I…," she hesitated not knowing what to say.

"That's right you birds all stick together. It weren't mine. I hadn't shagged the stupid bitch in months!"

He was out of the bed now, pulling his trousers on, quickly followed by his vest. Gene didn't bother with his shirt but snatched up his jacket and left. The next thing Alex heard was the slam of the front door.

"Shit," she swore to herself. Alex felt like crying. She'd pushed him too far and now she was alone again. Unable to face spending the rest of the night in bed by herself, she wrapped herself in her dressing gown, snatched up a blanket and retired to the sofa. Without thinking, she switched the television on filling the room with static.

In a way it was comforting, lying on the sofa, searching for messages in the chaos. In an unreal world, this felt normal.

She couldn't have said what made her get up and look out of the window, perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps she heard something from the street below… The Quattro was still parked outside and Gene was stood next to it taking alternate drags on a cigarette and whatever liquid was in his hip flask. He looked up and for a second their eyes met. As she watched, he threw the remains of the cigarette away and headed back into the building.

"I'm not going to fuck up the best thing that's happened to me since Tyler put his bloody car into the river," he announced as she let him back into the flat.

He stood there, strong, defiant…almost beautiful in his anger.

"I'm sorry," Alex said.

"What for? It's not your fault that I'm shooting blanks and if you want the whole sordid story…"

"It doesn't matter."

"I think it does… to you anyway."

"And you?"

"Me? I couldn't give a rat's arse…"

"Then why did you offer to marry Jackie Queen?"

Gene glared at her and, for a moment, Alex thought he was going to walk out again but his reply, when it came, was spoken in a whisper.

"I wanted it to be mine. I wanted to be the best bloody dad on the planet."

"Gene…"

"The wife, you see, she always said that if we tried for long enough it might happen."

"She was probably right."

"She was obsessed. Didn't give me a moment's peace. Don't get me wrong I like a good shag as much as the next bloke but…"

He laughed, but it wasn't a joyful sound. Unbidden, he went to the nearest cupboard, the one where she kept the glasses … the whiskey and poured himself a shot. Alex didn't comment as he took the bottle and carried it through to the living room where he plonked himself on the sofa. He gave up on the glass and took his next shot straight from the bottle. Alex took the seat next to him, close enough to touch if he wanted.

"You know what this job is like, Bols," he went on, "It's shit most of the time. Some days I'd get home and the last thing I wanted was to shag the missus. I started staying late at the pub just so I wouldn't have to. Missus didn't like it, started accusing me of seeing other birds and I thought why the hell not? You said it yourself, it weren't like I could get them into trouble."

He paused to take another drink and Alex didn't know what to say. She was torn between compassion and disapproval.

"She found out… dunno how… maybe I wanted her to. I didn't exactly try to hide it."

"Then what happened?"

"DI Robinson."

"Oh."

Pulling her feet up onto the sofa, Alex curled up against him, offering silent comfort, a reward for his honesty. He wasn't perfect, but she knew that already. The past was past and she made a pact with herself not to bring it up again. God knew, but her own record with relationships was hardly a glowing recommendation. She had no right to take any kind of moral high ground.

"Want to go back to bed?" she asked eventually.

He looked down at her and a smile formed on his face.

"Thought you'd never ask."


	8. Chapter 8

Alex felt a little embarrassed as she walked into CID Monday morning. Firstly, there was the cut on her face that was still drawing stares and then there was Gene. He was sat in his office and barely acknowledged her presence. As she bent her head over her paperwork, Alex couldn't help but wonder what she might have done wrong. That was until the mug of tea appeared on her desk without any prompting whatsoever. He'd got Shaz to make it but the thought was there. She sipped it gratefully. All in all it had been a very long weekend and he had been the one responsible for keeping her up for most of it.

The previous night had brought no more conversation. Soft gasps, tender touches had accompanied their second bout of love making. Afterwards Alex had held him whilst he slept, his head pillowed on her breasts. A perfect moment.

"Drake!"

The shout was unexpected, as was the fist thumping down on her desk. Startled, Alex realised that she had been staring into space for at least ten minutes and Gene had noticed.

"Viv's bringing our friend Shane up from the cells. It's time we had a little chat."

"Yes Guv," Alex replied, determined to be nothing but professional. An impression that was ruined when she yawned.

"A bit shagged out are we inspector?"

Ray's comment roused shout of laughter from the rest of CID. Alex glared at Gene, but he shook his head ever so slightly. He hadn't said anything which meant that Ray was talking out of his arse.

"Yes Ray," Alex replied. "Like all women I am an insatiable nymphomaniac."

"I bloody knew it."

Shaking her head Alex followed Gene.

"You all right?" he asked as they walked down the corridor.

"Yeah. Good actually. You?"

"Good… great."

"Good."

God this was awkward, Alex realised. Luckily, there was no need to extend the stilted conversation. Viv was approaching with Shane in his grasp. The young man seemed out of it… Clear symptoms of psychological shock but Alex couldn't find it in her heart to show any compassion. Unaware of where he was or what was happening to him, he walked past them, for a moment showing no sign of recognition. But something seemed to nudge at his memory and he stopped and slowly turned to look back at Gene.

The younger man's face was instantly transformed by hatred. Gene stared back, equal derision in his eyes. It was as if the two men were sizing each other up. Alex saw Shane move, ever so slightly, and she barely had the chance to shout a warning before the younger man hurled himself at Gene. Cuffed and about thirty pounds lighter, he didn't really stand a chance and Alex had to turn her head away as Shane was slammed into the nearest wall. God, she hated this… but before Alex could speak out in protest another voice rang out.

"Gene!"

Sylvia was standing ten feet away. Distracted, Gene let his grip on Shane relax just enough to give the other man the chance to fight back. Viv moved quickly to break them up, but he wasn't quite fast enough to stop a few good punches connecting with Gene's face.

"Get her out of here!" Gene shouted as he spat the blood from his mouth. Moving quickly, Alex grabbed Sylvia's arm and hurried her away. She resisted. No doubt her instinct was to go to the man she had once cared for, to help him…. or to berate him further? Alex couldn't tell, but she knew that Gene's ex-wife had no place here. Not now.

Not knowing what else to do, Alex took her outside. The world suddenly seemed horribly bright.

"Nothing bloody changes," Sylvia muttered. Her hands were shaking as she struggled to light a cigarette. "And look at you… Look what he's done to you."

Alex's hand automatically covered the her cheek.

"This wasn't Gene's fault."

"No… of course it wasn't. It never is."

The other woman was silent for a moment. Smoking her cigarette, watching the traffic as it flowed past the police station.

"He hurts people, Alex, surely you've realised that by now?"

Alex shook her head denying the words that some might have suspected were true. Sylvia had just been his wife. The lonely woman left at home whilst Gene had been protecting the streets of Manchester. He hadn't treated her well, but perhaps things could have been different if Sylvia had witnessed the compassion that the man was capable of.

"You don't know him," Alex said.

She thought that Sylvia would be angry at the accusation but all she saw was sadness in the other woman's eyes.

"Believe me I know. He'll treat you like the only woman in the world… at least for a while. He'll be good and kind and loving and then…"

"And then…?"

Sylvia ground her cigarette under her heel with a bitterness that could only come from years of hating someone.

"He's got a big dick and knows how to use it but don't ever mistake that for love… he's not capable."

Alex took an involuntary step backwards. Sylvia hadn't noticed the silent figure stood behind her. His face was impassive, but Alex knew that Gene had heard the tail end of the conversation. The brown envelope was in his fingers and he handed it over.

"You've got what you wanted, now buggar off," was all he said before turning away.

"Gene…"

Something in Sylvia's voice made him hesitate.

"Thank you," she said.

To Alex's intense surprise he pulled Sylvia into a hug, holding her tightly to him for a few brief seconds before pushing her away.

"Take care of yourself, love," Sylvia said as she touched the bruise on his face.

He nodded, almost as if he didn't trust himself to speak while he watched her leave. Alex didn't know what to say. She thought about taking his hand but was wary of the eyes that could be watching and facing the deluge of sarcasm that such a gesture might provoke.

"Guv," she reminded him gently, "We have a suspect to interview."

"You do it, take Ray… I don't trust meself to be in the same room as that piece of shit."

"Gene…"

"Leave it Bolls... just… just leave it."

To her despair he strode away. Tired and hurt, Alex didn't have the energy to go after him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

She didn't see Gene again that day. A whisper went round the CID office that Mrs H had been seen in the building leading to several inventive suggestions from Ray as to their Guv's whereabouts. Alex kept her head down and ignored the gossip. Only Shaz seemed to realise that anything was wrong, but she was the last person that Alex could talk to… not unless she wanted the whole station to know what had happened. She suspected that Shaz told Chris everything in which case it would only be a matter of time before Ray found out and then… no that scenario was just too terrible to even contemplate. The worst thing was that Gene would come out of the whole affair as a hero whilst Alex would be labelled as the tart who had slept with her boss. Despite having managed to wrangle a confession out of Shane, she was very glad when it was finally time to go home.

Alex avoided Luigi's that night. She treated herself to a long hot bath and planned to have an early night. It was slightly disconcerting therefore to emerge from the bathroom to find Gene sitting on her sofa. She expected him to be drunk, but he wasn't. His eyes were clear and the hands that lit his cigarillo were steady. Alex resisted the urge to ask him if he was okay as she poured them both a glass of wine.

"Went for a walk to clear me head a bit," he said by way of an explanation.

He smelt of wind and rain, his hair was just the tiniest bit damp.

"Walked all the way up the embankment to Westminster and back… first time I've done that since I came down here."

She knew the route well. It had been one of her favourite places to run back in 2008. Gene took a gulp of his wine.

"She's wrong about me," he said. "There… there are things I love."

"I know," Alex replied.

He nodded and drained his glass before getting to his feet.

"See you tomorrow."

"Gene…"

"What?"

"You could stay."

Hair dripping, no makeup, Alex felt self-conscious sitting before him. Especially as he stared down at her as if he couldn't quite believe what she was saying.

"I'd like you to stay … even if it's just for a little while. Help me finish the wine."

"And then what?"

"And then …And then I don't know, but we'll work it out."

/\/\/\/\

Apologies again for the long delay between chapters!


	9. Chapter 9

**Epilogue**

There were few things in this life that could compare to a glass of good wine, a quiet night in front of the tele and the love of a good woman… but not necessarily in that order. His boots had been long discarded, along with his jacket and tie … Yes, Gene Hunt was in a contemplative mood as he sipped his wine and wrestled with his paperwork. He could hear Alex singing to herself in the shower and for a moment he considered joining her but he had the Super breathing down his neck and a report to finish so, regrettably, spontaneous sex had to wait. As did popping outside for a fag. Alex hated him smoking in the flat so he didn't … didn't drink as much either. Even so, for the first time in what felt like forever, he could honestly say that he was content.

Gene knew he was a lucky bastard. Six months… six months and she was still shagging him so he had to be doing something right. Not that they didn't have their moments. He allowed himself a small smile. At least Alex wasn't afraid to confront him. She didn't store it all up and wait for him to ask whether something was wrong.

He knew that comparisons with his ex were probably unfair but he couldn't remember feeling this way about Sylvia it was almost as if he …

The singing had stopped.

He looked up to see Alex walking towards him, her face scrubbed clean of makeup, her hair damp and curling gently around her face. Even the oversized pyjamas she was wearing did little to detract from the fact that she was bloody gorgeous. She curled up next to him on the sofa, head on his shoulder as she read the words he had just scribbled.

"It's i before e…" she said, using a perfectly manicured finger to point out his mistake.

"I'm a police officer not the sodding poet laureate."

But he corrected the spelling and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Knowing he would get little work done now that Alex was here to distract him, Gene put his pen down and draped his arm around her shoulders. As far as he was concerned the fact she was a picky pain in the arse was a small price to pay for her presence in his life. He'd actually considered asking her to move in with him… even though he was fully aware that it would probably be the other way around. They spent more time at her flat than at his house and the truth was he preferred it that way. They both did.

Easing them both into a more comfortable position, Gene took a moment to appreciate the woman in his arms. It was then that he noticed how tired she looked.

"You look like you need a drink?" he suggested.

But Alex shook her head.

"Gene…" she began.

"What?"

"Do you… do you love me?"

He almost spat out his wine.

"What?"

She'd never asked him that before. Never seemed to want reassurance of words. Alex drew away from him, her eyes wet with tears.

"You see… you see… if you don't love me… if you don't… I can't go through with this… I can't…"

Suddenly, she was sobbing, almost hysterical and for the life of him Gene couldn't work out what had brought on the abrupt change in mood. He put out his hand, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder as he tried to figure out what to say, but somehow he couldn't find the words to tell her how he really felt.

"I didn't cheat on you… There hasn't been anyone else… you have to believe me," she sobbed.

Alex was making no sense at all. The knock at the door came as a relief and Gene almost ran to answer it.

"Guv… you've got to come downstairs and see… Chris tried to light a fart and he set fire to Luigi's trousers."

Somehow the fact it was Ray didn't come as a surprise. He was a regular visitor to the flat, usually about this time… wanting to know if his mate could come out to play. Usually Gene obliged him, but tonight was different.

"Sorry Raymondo… on a bit of a promise…"

He couldn't exactly tell Ray that Alex was acting a bit strange and he didn't want to leave her on her own.

"Really? She's been such a moody cow this week I thought she was on the blob."

"No she's not on the…"

He stopped … and not just because he had been reduced to discussing Alex's menstrual cycle with Ray. Gene started counting in his head. How long had it been since she had last made him fill hot water bottles and buy her chocolate? Days? Weeks? Months? She couldn't be… could she? He shut the door in Ray's face and hurried back to Alex.

She was still curled up on the sofa, the tears staining her face. Gene sat down beside her and pulled her back into his arms.

"Now where were we?" he asked.

"Nothing… it doesn't matter."

Sudden fear swept through him. Gene knew she wanted to go home, knew she had a daughter she longed to see again but even so… would she really dismiss this? For once he knew exactly what he needed to say to her. No jokes, no metaphors. Just words. Words he knew would bind her to him forever. Perhaps he was being selfish but he wasn't prepared to let this go. If it were true… if it were even possible. He didn't know how this had happened and he didn't really care.

"I love you Alex."

The change in her astounded him. Tears forgotten, Alex Drake kissed him with a passion than he hadn't thought was possible. It was if she had been holding part of herself back and suddenly she was his… body and soul. Gene responded with everything he had, loving her more tenderly, more ardently than ever before. When they could do nothing more than hold each other, shaking from the sweet release he said it again.

"I love you."

His hand rested gently on her stomach and Alex's fingers came to twine with his.

"How?" he asked, figuring he was probably safe to do so now.

"Probably because you've been shagging me at every opportunity."

"Can't help meself."

"Cutting down on the booze and fags…"

"Got better things to do with my mouth now."

Gene grinned down at her but Alex's face was serious.

"Early days," she warned.

"I know."

He wasn't about to go shouting from the rooftops. Not yet. Not until they could be absolutely sure. As she cuddled up to him, Gene wondered if his life could truly get better than this.

THE END


End file.
